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| Trump cancels Republican convention in Florida as virus soars | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| President Donald Trump has cancelled the Republican party convention in Florida, citing the pandemic, as US coronavirus cases passed 4 million. | President Donald Trump has cancelled the Republican party convention in Florida, citing the pandemic, as US coronavirus cases passed 4 million. |
| "It's not the right time for that," he said, adding that he would still give a convention speech in a different form. | "It's not the right time for that," he said, adding that he would still give a convention speech in a different form. |
| The sheriff in Jacksonville warned this week the city was not ready for such a party jamboree next month. | The sheriff in Jacksonville warned this week the city was not ready for such a party jamboree next month. |
| The event was relocated from Charlotte, North Carolina, after that state imposed social distancing rules. | The event was relocated from Charlotte, North Carolina, after that state imposed social distancing rules. |
| Although the Jacksonville events have been called off, some delegates will still gather in Charlotte. | Although the Jacksonville events have been called off, some delegates will still gather in Charlotte. |
| Mr Trump told Thursday's White House coronavirus briefing that safety was his primary concern behind the decision. | Mr Trump told Thursday's White House coronavirus briefing that safety was his primary concern behind the decision. |
| At that event, the president will formally accept his party's nomination to be its standard-bearer in November's presidential election. | At that event, the president will formally accept his party's nomination to be its standard-bearer in November's presidential election. |
| Opinion polls suggest Mr Trump is facing an uphill battle for a second term in office amid criticism of his handling of the pandemic. | Opinion polls suggest Mr Trump is facing an uphill battle for a second term in office amid criticism of his handling of the pandemic. |
| Last month, the Democratic convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, also due to take place in August, was drastically scaled back. | Last month, the Democratic convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, also due to take place in August, was drastically scaled back. |
| Mr Trump's challenger, Joe Biden, will be formally nominated by his party at that event. | Mr Trump's challenger, Joe Biden, will be formally nominated by his party at that event. |
| What's the reaction? | |
| Democratic Party officials taunted the president over the Florida cancellation. | |
| A Democratic strategist involved in convention planning said: "I wonder who will have the better convention - the party who recognised the limitations early on and have been planning for a mostly virtual/digital television production to capitalise on a prime-time audience of millions, or the clowns who keep moving theirs from place to place and have no concrete plan a month out." | |
| In a video released on Thursday, Mr Biden and his former boss, ex-President Barack Obama, poured scorn on Mr Trump. | |
| They highlighted his deflection of blame back in March - "I don't take responsibility at all" - when asked about delays in Covid-19 testing. | |
| "Can you imagine standing up when you were president, saying, 'It's not my responsibility?'" Mr Biden, the former US vice-president, asked in their "socially-distanced" conversation recorded last week. | |
| Mr Obama replied: "Those words didn't come out of our mouths when we were in office." | |
| What is the national picture? | What is the national picture? |
| The US is recording an average of 2,600 cases per hour, the highest rate globally, according to a tally by Reuters news agency. | The US is recording an average of 2,600 cases per hour, the highest rate globally, according to a tally by Reuters news agency. |
| On Wednesday, California passed New York - the former epicentre of the US outbreak - for the most confirmed cases with 409,000. | On Wednesday, California passed New York - the former epicentre of the US outbreak - for the most confirmed cases with 409,000. |
| On the same day, Missouri, North Dakota and West Virginia all broke their records for the most new cases in a 24-hour period. | On the same day, Missouri, North Dakota and West Virginia all broke their records for the most new cases in a 24-hour period. |
| Alabama, Idaho and Texas also reported new record highs in daily deaths. | Alabama, Idaho and Texas also reported new record highs in daily deaths. |
| Across the US on Wednesday, a total 69,707 new virus cases were recorded. | Across the US on Wednesday, a total 69,707 new virus cases were recorded. |
| Republicans and Democrats in Congress are meanwhile negotiating a deal to pass a fifth economic stimulus package. The price tag for the previous four stands at $3tr (£2.4tr). |